Too early

Lazy Sunday morning.  The weather is very changeable and unpredictable.  Started our morning dog walk in sunshine with no waterproofs but big drops of rain began only a few minutes into our walk.  Decided to carry on and the rain ceased and sunshine emerged for a while.

Second afternoon walk wore a waterproof and was too hot as sun shone throughout.  

Yesterday's date and walnut cake is very tasty.  Mr was very suspicious as it is egg-less and sugar-less.  He is pretty conservative in his tastes though did acknowledge it was sweet. The texture is like a moist, sponge cake. See extra.

I'm sure it can be a vegan cake if plant milk is substituted for dairy milk.

The lack of sugar triggered a discussion on sugar.  Mr thought sugar from sugar beet has been used in the UK for centuries.  I countered that the production of sugar from beet is a highly industrialized process.  In the past honey would have been a sweetener or dried fruit.

My curiosity piqued I googled when sugar from sugar beet began.  Apparently it started in Poland in the 1700s but it wasn't until the 1800s that sugar beet started to be used on a small scale in England though cane sugar dominated.

The growing of sugar beet itself isn't without issues.  Top soil quality is damaged and fertiliser and herbicide, namely insect harming neonicotinoids are employed.  Sugar beet is a fickle plant too requiring water at a specific time in its growth and then needs to be withheld to increase the sugar content in the beet. 

It seems early for rowan berries to be mature.  Nature is out of synch.  Butterflies are still scarce despite plenty of flowers.  Birds of late also either are hiding because of the weather or absent.  A news item stated that many blackbirds have succumbed to a virus.  When will those in power take notice.  They seem blasè about the decline of everything on this planet.

Pleasant evening everyone.